Uconn

Daigneault: Unveiling new look can wait until fall By Ed Daigneault Republican-American

EAST HARTFORD -- We have reached that point where technology has become the greatest barometer for how fans feel about their teams. They take to Twitter and write what's on their minds.

A smattering of folks (a smaller smattering than the smattering who actually showed up) at UConn's Blue-White football game Saturday at Rentschler Field tweeted about the offense looking the same as it has for the last two years. That is to say, they were less than happy. Nobody wants to see a repeat of the predictability that hampered the Huskies through consecutive 5-7 seasons in Paul Pasqualoni's first two seasons.

Relax, everyone.

As a fan event, the spring game is virtually worthless. The best parts of it take place before (beer in the morning) and after (autographs on the field, more beer in the parking lots). What is on display in the middle is a highly watered down version of what the Huskies hope to do in the fall.

There isn't a team in the country that's going to put its full offensive and defensive playbooks on display in a spring game. If you attend a spring game expecting excitement, you've not paid full attention.

Come the season, things will be different. We think, anyway.

"They have to understand we're not trying to show all of our perks right now," cornerback Byron Jones said. "We're trying to keep most of what we've got under wraps. When the first game comes, that's when stuff starts flying.

"Be patient."

Patience has never been the best of virtues among UConn fans. This is a fan base that experienced rapid success in men's and women's basketball. That sucked any patience from UConn diehards. UConn football went from I-AA to a

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bowl game faster than anybody in history, which didn't help.

For the last two seasons, the fans had to suffer through an offense that was predictable and plodding. When Pasqualoni snatched offensive coordinator T.J. Weist away from Cincinnati in the off-season, the excitement level blossomed. Why wouldn't it given the speed and tempo with which Cincinnati plays?

To expect to see that in the spring game is lunacy. Nobody's saying Weist will be a savior. He is still working with largely the same personnel and that must be taken into consideration when designing the offense. But now that spring drills are over, we can safely reveal that the offense was far more up-tempo in practice. It had some interesting wrinkles to it.

A good portion of it looked the same. Another portion of it looked so foreign as to be intriguing.

We saw exactly none of that Saturday. Quarterback Chandler Whitmer completed eight of 14 passes for 140 yards. Casey Cochran was 7-of-18 for 101 yards. Scott McCummings, who seems destined for the scrap heap, completed one of six attempts for 9 yards.

Afterward, Whitmer was grilled to reveal some secrets. He was way too smart to crumble.

"There's just a different attitude, a different approach," Whitmer said. "(Weist) likes energy, up-tempo, fast, flying around. We were a little lethargic last year. The biggest thing he's brought in is not so much playbook-wise, but in the mentality and toughness."

Of course, there are many things the offense needs to work out. The offensive line is one (19 rushes for minus-1 yards Saturday). Depth at wide receiver is another. There are more than three months for the Huskies to work those things out, and they'll do that with a healthier team than the one UConn put out there Saturday.

Ultimately, the offense might have the same old problems in the 2013 season. But it won't be for lack of trying from Weist.

"He brings a different level of intensity," said Jones, who has been watching the new offensive coordinator from the other side of the ball. "It spreads throughout the whole team. You see a 60-yard touchdown in practice and you see him sprinting down to congratulate the guy who made the play.

"It's very inspiring. It gives you a lot of intensity."

What we learned Saturday can be summed up in one word: nothing. You'll just have to wait for the learning to begin.

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